Government approves Rs 17,000-crore highways projects for 9 states

As many as 18 projects for building about 1,000 kms of highways, including nine on the recently approved hybrid annuity mode, were approved in a meeting today, chaired by Road Transport and Highways Secretary Sanjay MitraPTI | February 06, 2016, 09:09 IST

NEW DELHI: To fast track building of highways, the government today cleared projects worth about Rs 17,000 crore to be awarded before March.

As many as 18 projects for building about 1,000 kms of highways, including nine on the recently approved hybrid annuity mode, were approved in a meeting today, chaired by Road Transport and Highways Secretary Sanjay Mitra.

No Cabinet approval was required for the projects cleared today as the government, in a bid to fast-track highways projects, had recently empowered Road Transport and Highways Ministry to approve projects with civil construction cost up to Rs 1,000 crore.

It has made it clear that civil construction cost would be segregated from capital cost of projects.

This was done to reduce time as multiple stages of examination and appraisal of the same project by different Ministry/ Department/Committees caused delays in award of National Highways projects.

Taking note of such difficulties and with a view to minimise levels of decision making, the CCEA has empowered the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to decide on the change in the mode of delivery of individual NH projects.

The Secretary said that efforts are on to avoid delays in the process of appraisal and approval of National Highway projects and the government is making all efforts to achieve the target to award 10,000 kms in the fiscal.